La La
Not\e/worthy
Part of the PonyEarthVerse
By: YarnWeaver
Chapter 11: La La
Day 08 - Sunday, ??:??
"Oh, I can hardly wait to see you, my friends!"
"Grrmmm...ponies are the enemy of society..."
Sigh...
How did I get roped into this?
The Free Masons and Shriners are supposed to be organizations dedicated to fostering brotherhood and community, about coming together to help our fellow members when they're in a bind and staying true to eachother. But this...?
Our chapter really hasn't been the same since our last Master Mason, Mr. Timothy Johnson, passed away. He was a legend.
His successor to the Master Mason title, Wilbur Denton? Not so much.
Don't get me wrong, the two of them seemed like they were good friends, but after the funeral...it was almost like a switch flipped in Wilbur.
It wasn't long before he was requiring all Free Masons to join his...other group.
That's why I got out.
I got as far away from Santa Fe as I could bear. I couldn't bring myself to leave Texas, though. I was born here, raised here. That's why I settled for Texarkana. I kept telling myself I could just cross the border anytime I chose, but I kept putting it off.
Then the Pony Earth Incident began.
At least that's what the news came to call it.
For about a week or so, nothing changed. I did start seeing a few more of my neighbors become ponies each day, but there wasn't anyone connected to me who changed, so my daily routine, by and large, stayed the same.
That is, until Saturday night rolled around.
That's when the call came in.
An old Mason friend of mine from the time before Wilbur took over had phoned me at close to 7 p.m., informed me that a van was making a stop in town, told me to offer shelter and aid to those in it and reminded me of my retained status. She was calling on me not for a favor as a friend but for my duty as a fellow Mason.
I tried to object, but she said they were already on their way. She said that a new friend of hers would be calling in periodically to check their status, and that if I wasn't being the most helpful I could be...well, she left the consequences up to my imagination.
And, Heaven help me, I agreed.
They came up to my hotel room not long after that with more than a dozen suitcases and other assorted pieces of luggage.
Among them was a large kennel.
The cage door was covered with a blinder, but I could vaguely see the outline of something moving in there.
While I was eying the animal in the kennel, one of the guys raided my hotel fridge and pulled out the remains of a three-day-old bag of salad mix and half a cucumber. Then he came back over and jostled up the kennel a bit before opening both the blinder and the cage door, tossing the vegetables in and locking it right back up.
For the briefest of moments, I caught a glimpse of exactly what it was that they were transporting.
It was a small, blue pony with a darker blue mane and yellow eyes.
I was immediately reminded of all the people I'd seen around town who were humans one day and ponies the next.
I made the connection...and almost vomited right there.
"Hey! Don't go gettin' any bright ideas, bub! When we leave, we're takin' that thing with us."
I looked up at him, nearly sick, and took in the sight of him. Though, through my bleary eyes, I couldn't make out the details of his face.
I did, however, see his shirt.
Black.
Red letters on the chest.
P.A.P.A.
They only stayed the one night, and come Sunday morning, they were gone.
Well, most of them.
They were two guys, a thin, lanky, kinda homely looking one named Greg, and a much larger, much tougher one Greg identified as Chet. They stayed, along with the bulk of the suitcases.
Way too many for just two guys.
It was then that I finally made the decision. I was going to flee the state to get away from them while they slept in. I was making a good pace, and I was almost across the border into the other half of Texarkana, when a giant mirror just plopped right down in the center of town from out of nowhere!
There wasn't any time to react, and my Ford Contour slammed right into it!
Fortunately enough for me, I was wearing my seatbelt, and the airbag deployed. Unfortunately, I blacked out shortly afterward.
When I finally came to, it was already evening. I was back in my hotel room and there were ol' Greg and Chet again. They were on the phone with their boss, but that didn't last long. They turned to me when they were done, and Greg had this sickening smile on his face.
"There, there, my friend, you really worried us with that little stunt you pulled. You're really quite lucky that you weren't injured in that crash! Otherwise you wouldn't be able to help us with our luggage."
He gestured to the myriad of suitcases in the living area.
Oh, no. They're not seriously going to make me...
"Oh, and I'm so sorry, my friend, but it seems Chet and I accidentally ruined your key card getting you back into your room. I'm afraid you won't be able to access the elevators without it. Such a shame, really. Oh, well. I guess you'll just have to make do with the stairs!"
They are.
Then Chet just grabbed me by the arm and yanked me out of the bed, stood me up on my feet and pointed to the bags.
"Move."
So here I am with Greg and Chet, an eternity later, on the roof of the hotel, unloading the contents of those suitcases.
Greg pulled out an odd device and gave it to me.
"Now, my friend, this is the GPS tracker we'll be using to corner our quarry. Do be a good lad and get it up and running while we get our little money-maker put together."
I really shouldn't have asked. I really, truly shouldn't have asked, but I did anyway.
"Um...what do you mean by "money-maker"?"
Chet didn't even turn away from his work as the pieces he was pulling out of the suitcases were starting to look like some kind of mounting structure.
"This thing cleans up, we all get paid."
Day 08 - Sunday, 9:16 P.M.
"You see, we are Apple Pie!"
"Ugh, can we please watch something else?"
I rolled my eyes at Jack's comment.
"Well, yeah, we can. But we're not just watching it for entertainment, you know. Besides, it's my laptop. I can easily just decide not to use it at all. Y'all are the ones behind, not me."
"I think Jack's got a point, though, Barty. There's definitely other things we could be spending our time on."
Mom yawned.
Everyone else froze.
We all knew what falling asleep meant now, and while she, James and I have all been up for about the same amount of time, the two of us brothers were far more accustomed to it.
Of course Mom also picked up on all our worrying.
"D-Damon, Honey, I'm..."
Then he just launched himself up into her arms!
"Shhh...Jennifer, it's okay. I'm right here."
She hugged him close.
"But what if you don't recognize me after this? I d-don't think I could..."
He put his forelegs around her shoulders and rubbed her back as he returned her hug.
"You know I'll always come back to you. Remember everything God's brought us through? Remember this?"
Of course!
He pointed to the thin chained, golden charm necklace she was wearing. On it were two gold charms in the shape of hearts, one was carved with their initials: DM and JJ, and the other was a frame with a cross in the middle.
"Remember when we lost it all those years ago? Remember all the time we spent looking for it all those times we moved?"
He pulled himself up to face her.
"Remember how God restored it to us..."
Mom nodded and finished his sentence.
"...through time and space. Y-Yes."
"He has a plan for us; to prosper us and not to harm us. Even now in these uncertain times, His Hand is still working to our benefit. If we put our trust not in ourselves or even in eachother, but in Him, then even if you do change, it won't matter because He never will."
And as long as she's wearing that charm necklace, we'll definitely be able to recognize her! It's perfect!
Mom finally started to smile again.
"And besides, no matter what you look like, you'll always be my Tiger Lily."
Aaand then came the tears.
"A-And you'll always b-be my Honey Bear!"
Not a dry eye in the room, I tell ya'.
Once they'd cried and hugged themselves out, Dad pulled away.
"Now, -sniffle- I think some prayer is in order."
I, for one, agree.
We all gathered around Mom and laid our hands on her; yes, even Jack, though I don't think he really had any idea what he was doing.
"Father, we come to You in a time of uncertainty. Only You know what lies ahead, and within Your Path, there can be no doubt. We come into Your Presence boldly, knowing that You reward those who diligently seek You."
"Yes, Father." Mom cried.
"Father, we lift up Jenniffer in our prayers tonight. Keep Your Daughter safe this night, while she sleeps, Father. Let nothing come to harm her, and if she may indeed become a part of these changes people are going through, Father, let it be for Your Purpose, and may she use that circumstance to follow Your Will, just as she would were it not to be."
"Lead her as You lead us all, Father." James added.
"Once again, Father, we pray for our continued safety as well as Daniel's, wherever he may be, and in whatever situation he may find himself. Guide him, Father. Guide him back to us."
"And let him find allies, friends even, that he can trust and that will help him in any way he may need." I put in as well.
"Yes, Father, and let him be of help to those he finds as well. Help him to grow as a man and to grow in You."
Dad paused.
Jack, likely feeling the need to contribute something as well, voiced his own request.
"Uh...if you're really out there, Danny needs help. I don't know what you can do, or even who you are, but if you can help him, then do it."
Well! I'm impressed! I didn't think he had it in-
"And get him a girlfriend while You're at it."
Oh geez!
We all cracked up at that, and Mom even let out a joyful, "Halleluiah!"
"Yes, Father! All this and more! Every blessing You have for us, we pray, let them loose! Even what we dare not ask in our wildest dreams, if it is within Your Will, then let Your Will be done!"
"In Your Holy Name we pray. Amen."
And with that, we all let out our remaining emotional tension with a big family group hug. Mom even pulled Jack into it.
Though I imagine it wasn't that hard, given how small he is now and how soft his fur must be.
After that, we all said 'Good night' to Mom, turned out the lights inside the RV, and ventured out into the city.
9:25 P.M.
That was...different.
I'm not sure how else to describe it.
I really wasn't expecting anything. I just felt like I needed to say something back there. Like there was a void that needed to be filled, if only just so there wouldn't be silence.
Then I just blurted that last part out like I was talking to a real person!
Why did I do that?
Everyone else seemed to like what I had to say, at least. That's something.
Meh.
Anyways, on to more important things.
The four of us had been walking up the side of the freeway for a few minutes, passing the time with some idle chat and groaning at more of Mr. Michaels's terrible puns.
By the time we'd gotten more-or-less into the actual vicinity of the city, I'd had just about enough of-
-zeee-
Wha!?
-eeee-
Okay, I take it back! The puns were nowhere near as bad as this!
It was this low buzzing sound. No matter what I did, it wouldn't go away! I tried to drone it out, it stayed there; I tried just stopping everything else, it stayed there; I tried to cover up my ears, it got louder!
And on top of all of that, ever since I started hearing it, my new wings started acting up. Twitching, flexing, itching, it was just so aggravating!
-eeee-
It just kept boring into my brain! It was demanding my attention. It refused to be ignored, and all my efforts to either deal with it or block it out only made it worse!
-eeee-
"AAAUUUGH!!"
I heard the others shouting something at me, but I'm just too distracted by this painful buzzing to figure out what they're saying.
-eeee-
Alright! THAT'S IT! Where's it coming from?!
Something in my mind clicked, and I could almost see the buzzing in the air!
<ZZZZ>
-EEEE-
My teeth ground together, and I could feel every muscle in my body tense up.
Okay, whatever you are, I don't care what I have to do, I'm finding out what's causing this noise and putting a stop to it!
??:??
"HRRRRK! There. I'm done."
"Excellent work, my friend! Now, let's fire it up!"
"Hey! You!"
I gulped as Chet turned away from his work on what now looked like a pivot-able, base-mounted rocket launcher.
"M-Me?"
"Yeah, you! That tracker working yet!?"
"Yes, absolutely!" Greg chimed in from his position hunched over the controls to the weapon's systems, "We need the position from that handy GPS tracker to adjust for our money-maker's bearing and pitch, my friend! So please, do read off those coordinates for us!"
The device rattles in my unsteady hands. My voice catches in my throat.
Oh, please! Somebody, anybody! I don't want to do this! Help me!
9:34 P.M.
-KRA-POW!-
"JACK!"
Without so much as a word, he just...launched himself off of the sidewalk and into the air!
Then, of all the things that could happen, Barty started running off after him!
"Wait! Barty!"
He didn't stop or even slow down! He just called back to us as he ran.
"Don't worry! I've still got my phone on me! Try to find out what's going on with that mirror! Call me if you find out anything! See ya'!"
I don't believe this!
"Barty!!"
Suddenly, I felt Dad's hoof on my leg.
"James, don't bother chasing him! Think about what you're doing! I need you here! You're my only way of keeping in contact with anyone!"
I...
"You're right. I...we need to focus on what we're doing here."
"That, and Barty's in much better shape than you. You wouldn't have stood a chance."
"DAD!"
"What?! It's the truth! If you wanna do something about it, start by losing some weight!"
"Not what I meant, Dad!"
"I'll even help you! C'mon! Last one to the mirror's a smelly hunk of Limburgher!"
He...he just started running! After what he just said...
I don't have much choice but to chase after him, I'm the one with the phone after all.
Doesn't mean I have to like it.
"Daaaaad!"
??:??
I made up my mind.
I'm not going to let these two thugs get what they're after.
I hid the GPS tracker behind me and slowly backed away from them, shaking my head.
Greg sighed at that, then he got up and...Good Lord! That's not how a smile's supposed to look!
"My friend, don't you think you're a little too deep into this to be trying to back out now?"
Chet cracked his knuckles.
Oh, God...
Oh, God!
Oh, please, God, I know we haven't really been on speaking terms lately, but I promise to come clean about this whole thing to the authorities if you please just help me!
Then Chet started walking towards me as Greg just stood there and watched.
I shut my eyes in anticipation of the worst.
-wheeen!-
"Hey. What's that sound?"
My eyelids flew back open to reveal to me that Chet had stopped and was looking somewhere off to my right.
-wheeen!-
I followed his gaze, and at first I saw nothing. Then, I noticed a tiny speck of color moving against the night sky.
Greg's expression quickly dropped from smug and victorious, to confused and fearful.
"What...in the world...?"
Then we heard it's terrible yell!
"YAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!"
By the time I could make out the creature's eyes...and its teeth, it was too late.
"YAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!"
"AAAAAHHH!!"
It plowed right into me!
In my fear, I lost my grip on the GPS tracker, and it was sent flying into the air as well.
But that didn't matter to me.
I was busy screaming my lungs out!
I flailed around on the rooftop trying desperately to get that tracker back!
"NOOO! My paycheck!"
Eventually, it plopped right into my waiting clutches!
"Whew! That was close!
However, I wasn't quite paying as much attention to my surroundings as I should have.
"Whuh?!"
In my haste, I'd stepped onto a slightly more sensitive section of the edge of the hotel's roof. It gave way beneath me.
"Gahack! Oh, thank heavens, I caught the ledge! Chet! Get over here and pull me up!"
-...-
"Chet?!"
"...Pony..."
"What?!"
"Ponies are the enemy...PONIES ARE THE ENEMY OF SOCIETY!!"
"CHET, I DON'T CARE IF THE PONY'S TRYING TO GUN YOU DOWN ITSELF! GET OVER HERE AND PULL ME UP BEFORE I-"
-Click!-
"Wha? NO! Oh, shit! I turned it off!"
??:??
<ZZZ*
-EEE*
What? It stopped! The noise is gone!
Wait, what am I doing?
Am I flying?!
What's all this extra weight?!
"AAAAAHHHH!!!"
What the heck?!
9:34 P.M.
Oh, how good it feels to run again!
This was amazing! It's been so long since I've been in good enough shape to exert myself like this, and it feels fantastic!
All too soon, I arrived. I stopped dead in my tracks. I knew the mirror had to be downright huge, but I wasn't prepared for this!
I looked up, and I couldn't make out how high it went. I cast a look down both sides of the street along the base of the mirror, and I couldn't tell where it ended.
The road itself was still occupied with a few people, late as it was. Ponies, too. I saw a few who might've looked familiar from some shots of the background in the show, but I had no names to attach to the faces. Barty wasn't of much help in that regard while we were watching it, it seemed.
Then I focused my gaze straight ahead...
...and was met with a face I recognized in a flash!
Dark brown, almost black, slightly thinning hair was mostly hidden underneath a white baseball cap with a blue bill; a whitened, well-trimmed, uniform length mustache-beard combo covering a cleft chin and an astonished pair of lips; crow's feet, worry lines, smile lines and a distinctive crease on the center-side edge the left eyebrow; a thick, evenly-sloped nose; and wide, weary eyes, stunned at the sight before him. On the cap were four words, proudly emblazoned, "Superior Mobile Home Park".
That's my face...
I looked down.
Hooves.
I looked up.
Hands.
That's my body!
That's my real reflection!
THAT'S ME!
"Why?"
Oh, it is great to see the old me again! Just wait 'till everyone sees this!
"Oh, of all the ponies to see in this great new world, I never thought I'd run into you here!"
Huh? Who's that?
I turned around to find a stallion approaching me with a filly following close behind him.
Best make sure.
"Oh, I'm sorry. Are you talking to me?"
He was of a bit larger build than most stallions I'd seen on the show, other than Big Macintosh now that I think of it. He had a dirt brown coat, a tar black mane, tail and pair of eyebrows and detergent blue eyes, and he was sporting a sharply tailored suit and a green necktie with a gold dollar sign.
He never once dropped that practiced businessman's smile as he laid out his response.
"Indeed, I am, but, of course, I should introduce mylself. You can call me Mr. Rich, and this is my good friend Twist."
He turned to one side, revealing a cutie mark consisting of three bags of cash as well as giving me a better look at his companion.
She looked close to Sweetie Belle's or Apple Bloom's height from the show I'd wager, and she had a custard yellow coat, a curly, licorice red mane and tail, bubblegum pink eyes, and a cutie mark of two crossed candy canes forming the shape of a heart. She also wore braces and a pair of large, thick-rimmed purple glasses.
"Hi, Mithter!"
That filly...is adorable.
"Well, hello to you, too!"
Shame about that lisp, though.
What strikes me as odd, though is why the two of them are talking to me in the first place. I don't know these ponies, and they certainly never appeared in any of the episodes of the show that I've seen.
What could they possibly want with me?
"Okay, now I know this might sound strange, but how do you know me?"
That smile dropped for a split second, but he brought it back in an instant.
"Why, I may not know you personally, but everypony who reads the Equestria Daily newspaper has surely followed your exploits! After all, you are the premier Party Planner in the country!"
I'm the what?!
Then he grabs front hoof and starts shaking it.
"It is a pleasure to finally meet you, Cheese Sandwich!"
I loaded the barrel.
-Whhhunt!-
"No ponies."
I sealed the chamber.
-KA-CHAK!-
"No ponies!"
I powered on the systems.
-oooooooooOOOOOOO-
"No! Ponies!"
I switched on the targeting reticule.
-Manual Targeting Online-
-Target Locked-
"NOOO! POOONIEEEESS!"
I gave it the final command.
-Firing in 3...-
-2-
-1-
Day ?? - ???, ??:?? (Mindscape)
After what felt like an eternity later, my enclosure suddenly contracted in on me, and I was flung back out into the air...
-Bowm!-
...and right into what felt like a thick stone pillar.
-Slam!-
I couldn't do anything but flop to the ground.
The first thing that hit me, though, was how unbelievably hot it was!
I winced through one eye as I pulled myself together. I made one crucial observation in that moment, however.
That's an awful lot of red.
Slowly.
Carefully.
I opened my eyes.
I saw Luigi and Yoshi standing on a long, narrow island, surrounded by...
"Welcome-a to Lethal Lava Land!"
LAVA?!
"Now, don't-a panic!"
"Are you CRAZY?! THERE'S LAVA EVERYWHERE!"
"It's-a minor inconvenience at best!"
You! Wha-? HUH!?
"Though it would be best if you, and this might be obvious, but you are new at this, try to avoid falling into it!"
I felt my right eye twitch.
"That's not going to help anybody."
"YOU! ARE! BOTH! INSANE!"
"Actually, Noteworthy. They're right."
I heard Little David's voice from behind me. I turned around to find him sitting on the head of a...huge...enormous...
"Oh! Hey, Gargantua! Enjoying yourself?"
That gaping mouth...Those fangs...Those eyebrows!
How can such a little kid be so comfortable on top of such a...monster?!
Then it spoke.
"Yes, yes. It's just lovely here! So nice of you to visit, Yoshi, Little David! Luigi, why don't you introduce me to this new face I see?"
"You betcha! Gargantua, this is-a Danny's new mental roommate, Noteworthy from Equestria! Noteworthy, this is Gargantua Blaarg!"
How can you all be so casual about all this?! He's literally, made of LAVA!
"Oh, and what's he 'represent', huh? Volcanoes?! Fire?! Magma?! Death?!"
"AHAHAHAHA! You're quite funny, little pony! I am not so important as that! I am simply a Figment Without, good Noteworthy."
A what?!
"You see, Noteworthy, Figments can be a lot of things! In Big G's case, he's a character from a videogame that left an impression on Danny, but he hasn't gotten a promotion to Representative yet, so he's a 'figment without' anything to represent!"
"I couldn't have said it better myself, Little David!" Yoshi confirmed.
This was all just too much!
Lava...harmless? Monsters...friendly? What kind of lunatic thinks like this?!
I decided to try and keep them talking and hope that, should things go south, I could find a way to bolt before they could react. I didn't know what I'd do after that, or how I'd get out of here, but all I could do was hope that I'd be able to think of something when the time came.
"S-So...is that all there is to it? Either you're a Representative or a Figment Without?"
"Oh, no, Noteworthy! You have to be given a lot of Thought to even be a Figment Without! Most Figments here in Danny's mind are little more than Props."
"Thankfully, most-a times, you don't stay a Prop Figment for long if you're going to be promoted. Danny tends to give a lot of-a Thought to new ideas when he finds them."
Yeah, I bet that would be terrifying for you. Too bad.
"So...let me get this straight. When an idea first becomes a figment of Danny's imagination, it starts out as a Prop, then through being given increasing amounts of "Thought" as you call it, it can be promoted to being a Figment Without, and eventually a Concept Representative? Is that right?"
"Yep! And furthermore, a figment's capacity to think for itself, is directly proportional to how much Thought it's been given."
"And, of course there are certain privileges that come with the promotion to Concept Representative, that we Figments Without simply cannot enjoy. For example: the ability to explore Danny's mindscape beyond our own Domains."
Oh? This sounds promising.
"Wait, so do you mean you can't leave here?"
"Correct, young stallion. Danny is veeery serious about keeping himself organized, and most Domains here in this environment are grounded in certain Themes. Figments who share a Theme, whatever their rank, are placed in the Domain with the same Theme. Most Props just amble around, following the behaviors Danny remembers from when their ideas were introduced to him. You'll likely see quite a few of them here in Lethal Lava Land, including Bullies, Big Bullies, Dodongos, Podoboos, Fire Guys, and the occasional Mr. I."
"Okay, okay, I think I get it."
I'll just have to find out what they want from me and get it over with. Then I'll try to convince them to take me back to that palace-like place, and I'll go from there.
Wait...something about that Domains bit is actually making me kinda curious. If Danny matches Figment Themes to Domain themes wherever possible...
"What about Figments that fit more than one Theme?"
Gargantua smiled. It was still really freaky.
"Ah, that's the beauty of it, Noteworthy! If Danny comes across a figment that he can't nail down to one Theme, it intrigues him, and he will often give it even more Thought! That's how a lot of Figments become Concept Representatives, by being interesting enough to Danny that he has no choice but to forgo compartmentalizing them and connect their idea to that of a base concept of his choosing. There is the risk, however, that he gives up on figuring out that particular figment. Those are dark days. For you see, when an idea no longer holds his attention, but hasn't yet found its place in a Domain, it tends to be...forgotten."
All four of them shuddered at the mention of that word.
Yeah, I wouldn't mind too badly to forget a few things, myself.
"But enough about-a that! We need to get to why we brought-a you here in the first place!"
"Yeah!"
Little David slid down from atop Gargantua's head and hopped onto the island I was on, doing a couple flips in the air on his way down.
"Remember how I said that the castle environment where we met was a memory from one of Danny's favorite videogames?"
I nodded.
"Well, he loved that game so much that he memorized the layout of every obstacle course in it! Now, there's a mechanism to that game that marked his progress toward winning: the Power Stars. There's 7 of them in every course, and Lethal Lava Land here is no exception!"
"That's-a right! We chose this-a course because, though Danny usually comes across it close-a to halfway through the game, it has one of the easiest-a Stars to find!"
"The 8-Coin Puzzle with 15 Pieces!"
"The what?"
"AHAHA! I'm afraid that's all you'll get for a clue! You'll have to figure the rest out on your own! Goodbye, friend Noteworthy!"
"Don't-a worry! The path is pretty straightforward! Just-a be wary of anything that looks like it could hurt you, and you'll-a be fine!"
And with that, they all left. Gargantua lazily sunk back below the surface of the lava, and Luigi, Little David and Yoshi all glowed a bit before simply vanishing.
And I was alone in this Tartarus.
Well, if I don't do this, it looks like I won't be going anywhere anytime soon. Nothing left to it but to do it, I suppose.
Luigi was right, for the most part. After making my way under the archway that pillar was connected to, crossing a straight section of land that was far too low to the lava for my taste and climbing a short set of stairs, I stopped for a moment to take in my surroundings.
I was at one end of a long raised platform that led to a grated square platform by way of a bridge that raised and lowered at regular intervals. To my right was a cone-shaped volcano with a rotating, ring-shaped platform surrounding it. And if I squinted, I could just barely make out some movement in the distance beyond and to the right of the giant eyeball ahead of me.
Yeah, like I needed another reminder how weird this place is.
After making my way past a number of angry spherical creatures with horns and navigating the bridge, I came up to an eyeball hovering in the center of the square grated area. Its whites were tinted yellow, from the lava no doubt, and its iris was red, and as I tried to wind my way around it, it turned to follow me.
It's just a Prop. It's just a Prop. It's just a Prop.
My next obstacle was a plank-like platform that was floating on the surface of the lava, one side dipping below the surface at a time. Then, off to the right of it...
Whoa...
Fifteen square, white platforms with chopped up images painted on top of them hovered about a half foot above the molten surface of the lava. One by one they shifted about eachother like the scrambled pieces of a puzzle, and above them floated what looked like eight red, rotating Bits with a star-shaped indentation on each side.
Huh. Well, you can't get much more literal than that!
I wasted little time jumping to the teetering platform. I stopped, however, when I noticed five smaller golden Bits floating in a straight line on top of it.
Curious, I reached out a hoof to touch one of them.
-Bling!-
It vanished!
I'm not quite sure what to make of this. I touched it, and there was a chime and a few sparkles, and then it was gone.
Wait, David said this was an obstacle course from a game. Now, if what I remember from those machines in the Outdoor Arcade Park back in Ponyville, most of these games have a "Points System" or something. Did I just collect one of this game's points?
I stepped forward, into the next Bit.
-Bling!-
Okay, nothing bad seems to be happening so far.
-Bling!Bling!Bling!-
Well, my theory seems to be holding up so far, but I have no idea if I'm even doing this right. Hmm, let's see what happens if I touch one of those red ones.
After gathering some speed, I pounced from the tilting island to the edge of the large square puzzle. The moving piece was on the other side at the time, so it looked safe enough. There in front of me was the first of the eight red Bits.
Here I go.
I reached out my hoof once again...
-Bling!Do-doo-da-dee!-
1
I looked up at the strange symbol that appeared above my head. It was red and yellow, and after pondering it for a moment, I realized it looked just like the font used on the door I went through back in the rainbow room! Then, as quickly as it appeared, it vanished.
Is that it? Is that all there is to this? Yoshi said that this mission was an "Eight Coin Puzzle". Was that the first one, then? Do I just have to collect the other seven to earn a "Star"?
I mulled over everything I'd heard about this place, and if that were indeed the case, it would make a good deal of sense.
"Well! This might actually be as easy as they said!"
"Too easy if you ask me!"
Who was that?!
Wait.
I remember that voice.
That was the day...
That horrible, horrible day...
That was the day he came to Ponyville.
I've had nightmares about that day.
We'd all been in town together when it happened.
We didn't get a warning.
One moment we were all enjoying a Jam Session together, the next...
No.
And That laugh...
No. No!
"Where are you! Show yourself!"
"Ohh, hohohohoho!"
I turned, following the rancid sound only to find it coming from behind me.
The eye!
I just stood there staring as the now all too familiar yellow and red eye rose up into the air.
It squashed.
It stretched.
It spun.
And then, it one sickeningly bright flash, it changed.
What once was a perfectly spherical shape was revealed to be the Epitome of Imperfection himself!
"Discord!"
"Hahahahahaa! Yes! It is I, Discord! Spirit of Disharmony! Master of Chaos! Duke of Bewilderment! Earl of Unease! Lord of Entropy! And last and most important of all...!"
I braced for the worst!
"Figment Representative for Young Daniel's Concept of Variety!"
Wha-?
"At your service!"
No. Seriously.
WHAT?!?!
Day ?? - ???, ??::?? (Reality)
What was I thinking?!
I have no idea what I'm doing!
I'm a Cashier, not a Soldier!
This is completely out of my league!
These people aren't afraid to kill, and I have no idea how well equipped they are to do so.
And yet, I still stood there in the thick of the herd, facing down the door that simultaneously blocked off our exit and would soon allow our jailers access to our block of this compound. If they came in firing...
Best Pony or no, Rartiy and the rest of them up at the front don't stand a chance if they come in suppressing us with gunfire, or even with tranquilizers! We'd be on the defensive from the first turn, and it would only be a matter of time before we all fell, once they started scoring hits.
We're...so...totally...
-Clang!-
What?
I looked up to the front of the herd and saw that where there were six colors of magic holding up a small menagerie of metal panels, there were now five.
I couldn't see who it was as the pegasus stallion chained up behind Rarity was between us and had also turned in that direction, blocking my view.
What I heard, however, was the unmistakable sound of trembling.
We're already cracking. It won't be a slowly degrading battle...It'll be a slaugh-
"Get ahold of yourself! Look at me!"
I did so.
Rarity had pulled a foreleg around the unicorn next to her, bringing her out into my field of vision.
It was a mare. Her coat was dirty, marring what would have been a rich red. Her disheveled bun of a mane and her tangled, trailing tail were both a mixture of muted blue and dull yellow, their true hues tainted with grime. Her shock addled eyes were dilated, making it difficult for me to tell, but they looked vaguely orange-ish. From my angle, I could also see her cutie mark: six different flowers, one for each color of the rainbow, wrapped up in a bouquet.
I felt for her.
"I know you're scared."
Yeah, that's the truth.
"We all are."
Yep, I'd imagine so.
"Be strong for me."
How?
"Be strong for you!"
How?!
"Be strong for them!"
Please! Tell me how!
"I-I can't-"
The unicorn trembled in her embrace.
If you don't tell me, how can I-
"Bullshit, you can't!"
!!
Wh-Wha-?
"But-"
B-But, Rarity, why-?
"No! No excuses!"
I-I-I'm not-
"I'm not having any weaknesses in my front line!"
I-I-I-
"If you can't handle the pressure, then switch places with somepony who can! Otherwise..."
No...you...I...
"Well, I guess I'll just have to leave you behind."
No! You can't! I-
She was overwhelmed by Rarity's onslaught.
"Y-You wouldn't...!"
Rarity just scoffed.
"I've been chased, bit, tackled, squeezed and had my face stuffed in far too many pairs of breasts. If you think, for one second, that I'm going to let these slack-jawed shit-stains tie me down with the rest fo these ponies and make me their marshmallow bitch, you, madam, are horribly mistaken."
This is wrong. Rarity doesn't talk like that!
This is all so wrong!
My breath quickened.
My pulse pounded in my ears.
I lost sight of my surroundings.
Noteworthy, I'm sorry! I-I can't take this! Switch me out! Please!
...
No response.
Noteworthy?
...
NOTEWORTHY! WHERE ARE YOU! HELP ME!
-KA-CHUNK!-
That was...the deadbolt.
All my muscles tensed at once.
They're coming.
Then...something strange came over me.
My every nerve shot open.
Pure adrenaline poured into my veins.
My senses took in everything around me.
I forgot about Rarity.
I forgot about that poor other unicorn.
I forgot about the rest of the ponies around me.
I forgot about myself.
My brain returned to what it does best.
|Sensory Input| |Collective Memory| >|Imagine Drive|<
Processing best chance for survival.
Given: enemy wastes no time in opening fire upon opening the door. Survivability: 2% max.
Designation: Worst Case Scenario.
Given: Worst Case Scenario. Enemy pauses before opening fire to gawk at the assembled prisoners' battle formation. Variable: unknown enemy reaction time. Survivability: 10-18% max.
Designation: Better, But a Crappy Outcome.
Given: Better, But a Crappy Outcome. Enemy can be caught off guard in a moment of shock. Survivability: 25% max.
Designation: Still Needs Work.
Given: Still Needs Work. Enemy weaponry obtainable. Variable: weapon compatibility with pony dexterity. Survivability: 29-37% max.
Designation: Hooves, How Do?!
Given: Hooves, How Do?! Enemy weaponry conjecture: Assault. Includes: firearms, tranquilizers, blunt instruments.
Compatibility: Firearms, Nil. Tranquilizers, Nil. Blunt Instruments, Medium.
Designation: Butterhooves.
Given: Hooves, How Do?! Enemy weaponry conjecture: Defensive. Includes: tasers, pepper spray, riot shields.
Comparability: Tasers, Nil. Pepper Spray, Medium. Riot Shields, Medium.
Designation: Will Leave a Bad Taste in My Mouth.
Given: Will Leave a Bad Taste in My Mouth. Reinforcement by fellow Prisoners. Variable: fellow prisoner forces v. enemy forces. Survivability: 50-78% max.
Designation: Battle Mini-Game!
Given: Battle Mini-Game! Forces balance conjecture: Enemy > Prisoners.
Designation: Back Into Your Cell, Bookworm!
Given: Battle Mini-Game! Forces balance conjecture: Enemy = Prisoners.
Designation: Attrition.
Given Battle Mini-Game! Forces balance conjecture: Enemy < Prisoners.
Designation: Rescue Aid Society.
Given: Rescue Aid Society. Prisoners work together. Variable: herd teamwork level. Survivability: 80-87% max.
Designation: Speed-Power-Fly.
Given: Speed-Power-Fly. Teamwork conjecture: Poor.
Designation: Fallapart Rabbit.
Given: Speed-Power-Fly. Teamwork conjecture: Fair.
Designation: Scratch and Grounder.
Given: Speed-Power-Fly. Teamwork conjecture: Good.
Designation: Team Rocket.
Given: Speed-Power-Fly. Teamwork conjecture: Excellent.
Designation: The Return of Harmony.
Given: The Return of Harmony. Prisoners combat capable. Variable: Enemy competency. Survivability: 89-95% max.
Designation: Difficulty Level.
Given: Difficulty Level. Enemy competency conjecture: High.
Designation: Through the Fire and Flames.
Given: Difficulty Level. Enemy competency conjecture: Medium.
Designation: Booster's Tower.
Given: Difficulty Level. Enemy competency conjecture: Low.
Designation: Eight Koopas in a Row.
Given: Eight Koopas in a Row. We get lucky. Survivability: 100%.
Designation: Best Case Scenario.
Preparing...
It took all of five seconds.
My muscles coiled.
My stance made itself ready to bolt ahead.
There was only the door.
I'd run the numbers, and if these goons operated on fear as much as I'd guessed, then this had a high probability of paying off big time.
Now Gambling...
The enemy gate began to open.
Ready.
Disorganized rubber tromping made itself known to my ears.
Steady.
Then my eyes made contact with the first of the enemy forces: a stout man brandishing a riot shield!
GO!
"GAAANGWAAAAYY!!!"
Status: Still Needs Work. Current Survivability: 25%.
I sped out of the herd as fast as my four legs could take me. I was not going to let this chance pass me by!
I coiled up my strength once more, my hooves slid on the slick tiled floor for just a split second before I leapt up into the air, gunning for the stunned rotund riot shield wielder.
I remember the elevator from my dream and extend both forelegs out in front of me. My hooves slammed into his shoulders with enough force to throw him off balance! He fell backwards into a number of other goons behind him, causing them to lose their footing as well.
This was exactly what I needed!
The guards would recover soon, though; so I measured my hoof and swiped it against the first one's temple, knocking him out. I then pried the riot shield from his slackened grip.
Status: Will Leave a Bad Taste in My Mouth. Current Survivability: 37%.
With the way the shield's handle was designed, I had to turn it on its side in order to hold it between my teeth and still be able to maneuver.
I quickly took notice that some of the men I'd knocked over were getting back up. I also felt the telltale rumbling of the charging of the herd. I made a quick head count, including the man I'd already taken out.
1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8!
My mind went back to the herd and I remembered our formation from before the door opened.
One row of three, then three rows of four: 15!
Status: Rescue Aid Society. Current Survivability: 78%!
I rushed over to one of the men who was still down and quickly knocked him out as I had the first one. Then I turned my attention to the ones still up.
One of the guards had already leveled his weapon at me, and before I could guess at what it was, I received a prime demonstration.
Tranquilizer darts bounced harmlessly off my shield, and I took it as a signal to rush forward once more. There was another guard behind him readying a nightstick-like baton, and an idea occurred to me.
I circled the stymied gunman and then continued my advance, coiling up my leg muscles once more and leaping shield-first into him. It was an encore of my stunt at the door if I ever saw one, and once both men were down. I climbed over them to get to their heads and knock them out as well.
While I was focused on that task, two more guards came up, one on either side of me, and grabbed the ends of the riot shield, hoisting me up into the air with it.
For a moment, flailing my legs was all I could think to do, but when I opened my eyes again, I realized that it took the two of them using both arms to even lift both myself and the riot shield off the ground.
Never loosening my grip on the handle and thanking pony physiology for my impressive jaw grip strength, I decided to explore another of its aspects: namely, the range of pony flexibility and reach.
I took into account the position of my hind legs relative to the two aggressors and struck!
They crumpled instantly.
All I had to do after that was give them a push, and they toppled to the ground, too preoccupied with their pain to keep their respective balance. Two more strikes with my hoof, and they were out.
I then scanned the room for any more targets, and I saw that red unicorn from before intercept a Taser shot with her shield panel.
Metal sheet + Taser electrodes + Weapon status = Tetris Attack Shock | ! | Panel.
Nice!
With a magical twist, she flung it through the air at another guard...only for him to weave to one side and avoid it.
Of course, you can't ever use just one.
While it was unsuccessful, the red unicorn's attempted attack gave me an idea.
Status: The Return of Harmony. Current Survivability: 88%!
I wasted no time in tracking down the riot shield once again; I'd let go of it after my wince-worthy ordeal with the two goons. I grabbed one end of the battered barrier in my teeth, wound up and flung it through the air to finish the job!
"And stay down!"
And he did.
Guard #1 - Bowled Over
Guard #2 - Down for the Count
Guard #3 - Green Missile'd
Guard #4 - Shouldn't Have Stood There, Buddy
Guard #5 - High Pitched Harry
Guard #6 - My Condolences to Your Children, Oh Wait
Guard #7 - The Captain Would Be Proud
Guard #8 - Whose Point Was That Anyway?
I scanned the floor, and between me and the door we'd stormed the number of unconscious bodies matched up with my initial head count, so I figured it was best just to move forward.
I went to work disarming the beaten guards, neatly sorting the weapons into piles of like things, though frankly there wasn't much to go around for fifteen ponies, but I figured, better to be safe than sorry.
I was just about finished when-
-bang.-
Huh? Wha?
I looked around, wondering what had made such an underwhelming sound. When I turned my head back towards the rest of the herd, I saw Rarity staring down a lone gunman, with my old riot shield hovering about in that weird different magic aura of hers.
For a moment, I wondered where this last guy came from, as he wasn't part of my original analysis, but I soon concluded that, since Rarity seemed to have the rest of things under control, I shouldn't worry about it.
Status: Best Case Scenario! Current Survivability: 100%!
So then, back to work.
Once they'd all been relieved of their weapons, I set myself to the task of removing them from the room.
It made the most logical sense. The door that kept us out, before Rarity taunted them into opening it, would allow us to lock them out more permanently.
So that's what I did.
I bit down on whatever loose bits of fabric I could find, and began dragging each of the downed guards out the door and into a pile.
I was working on dragging out High-Pitched Harry when a muffled shout reached my ears.
My head jerked up.
"Mwhuhsh gom' om?"
It took me a second to notice that I still had "Harry's" pant leg in my mouth.
Then I noticed Rarity coming my way.
With a gun hovering by her side.
"Ii-ann-ett-oo-oh'annoo-aawltheh-uhrk."
Wha-huh?
I'd let go of the pant leg as I tried to decipher what the heck she just said.
She proceeded to finish the job, taking "Harry" out of the room, then proceeded to grab the last ones with her magic as she continued talking, her face holding a grim expression.
But why was what she said so...garbled?
"Noh eerie-uhs-lee."
Wait, I think I can-
"Hoo-ahr-yhoo?"
Oh! My name!
I sat up, politely as I could. I wasn't sure what she was planning to do with that gun, but I wasn't about to run the risk of setting her off because of bad manners of all things.
Still don't know what's going on with her and all these changes. Best to play it safe.
"Dan. My name is Dan."
She seemed to lighten her expression, but she still looked tense.
"Tsahplezhehr-toohmeetyoo misstehr-dahn..."
Why is everything she's saying so darn quiet and slurry?! Is it me? Is there something wrong with my hearing? Is that it?
Wait...did she just call me "Mr. Dan"!?
I shook my head in an attempt to clear my thoughts.
>|Sensory Input|< |Collective Memory| |Imagine Drive|
Suddenly, it felt like my ears had popped without actually releasing pressure; there was just a sudden increase in the volume and clarity for...everything!
I took half a second to re-collect myself before I replied.
"No, don't call me 'Mr. Dan', that's just...I don't know, too formal. Danny's fine. It's what everybody else calls me."
She smiled at me.
"Well, Danny, I applaud your bravado and willingness to kick the ever-living shit our of some brainless idiots for the sake and safety of others."
She then proceeded to magically shoo out the last of the guards, give a pose, and send her mane for a flip.
This is so...surreal.
Here she is, toting a gun, like an action movie heroine. She'd just taken down a gunman by herself! That much was obvious; not to mention a feat in and of itself, and not something I'd readily attribute to the Rarity I know from the show.
And again! Her language! It was almost like someone had taken Rarity's personality and injected a used syringe full of Jock into it!
At least it appeared that most of what made Rarity "Rarity" was still there, and...
Then it hit me.
She just saw all of that stuff I just did, or at the very least, most of it...
...and she just paid me a compliment for it.
I couldn't help but break out into a grin, a chuckle even escaped my lips.
"Thanks, I...Gosh. I never thought I'd hear someone say that to me before."
I was about to take a step toward her, but when I lifted my leg, I...
Wha-oh! Whoa! Why is the room spinning, all of a sudden?!
I couldn't feel my hooves, my legs were on fire, and I suddenly realized that all this time, my heart had been beating about ninety miles and hour!
I was about to fall over, but lo and behold, Rarity came up alongside me and let me put my foreleg around her back for support.
"Easy there, killer. Take five."
I nodded, but by that time, she'd already finished helping me back to my hooves, which were still on pins and needles by the way, and had cantered off somewhere else.
My breathing came in gasps. The only guess I could make about the whole situation, was that this was all of that adrenaline, and whatever else was going on with my body that made me so numb to the world around me finally wearing off. Every pain sensor, every nerve, every tactile surface on my body, was coming back alive all at once, while I struggled to bring my pulse and breathing back under control.
I eventually stumbled my way over to the nearest wall, and when I got there, I propped my right foreleg against it extra support.
-Slam!-Ka-chak!-
I didn't bother turning around. Even in my addled state, I could deduce that the source of that sound was the door closing and the deadbolt being put back in place.
"Hey, big guy."
I could really only turn my head and neck at the time without risking losing my lunch, but I certainly turned around for that.
"Hey." was all I could manage.
Rarity came up next to me again and sat down. I didn't know what it was, but I began to feel just the slightest bit better, just being near her.
She motioned for me to join her.
I obliged.
"You-uhh...Made me proud, by the way. Why don't you sit down for a moment. If we're going to escape, I'd prefer that we're not all exhausted."
She pointed a hoof back toward the door.
"And I don't think any of those assholes in there are getting back up anytime soon."
This peace was just what I needed, and sitting here, I felt like I was finally getting back to my old self again. It's strange, when I woke up inside my own mind, as a pony of all things, I had no idea what was going on. But after meeting Noteworthy, and then waking up with a pillow in my mouth, and then taking part in this epic jailbreak alongside The Absolute Best Pony Of All Time, I feel...more alive than I think I ever have in the past.
"Thanks again, Ma'am, I-"
She put up a hoof to stop me.
"Dude, call me Rarity or Tony."
I blinked.
TONY!?
Suddenly, it all made sense! The language! The brutish tendencies! Everything!
The human she's been playing host to was a GUY!
D'uh! That's where the Jock Juice came from!
Wait a minute...a guy, a crass jock of a guy, woke up as Rarity. I bet that was an awkward couple of days...at least.
...and I just called him 'Miss'.
Oops.
I backpedaled.
"O-okay. Thanks, Rarity. Sorry about that. Force of habit."
He, or maybe 'she', I wasn't sure, took it surprisingly well.
"It's fine, honestly. I'm just not really..."
She paused. She looked like she was trying to sort something out.
"Well, I am used to it, but I'm not."
Yeah, I'd imagine so.
I kinda felt for Tony. I couldn't really empathize with him on what it must've felt to not actually be a guy anymore, but I did know how it felt to have your life turned into a complete mess overnight.
"Alright, I guess, so..."
How can I say 'I know how you feel, but at the same time, I don't' without coming off as trying to pity the both of them?
"I-"
WAIT! Better idea!
"Where do you think we are?"
For too long, I've been in the dark about where I stand, physically, at least, and now was the perfect opportunity!
The brown pegasus stallion I'd failed to notice who was chained behind Rarity spoke up this time.
"Probably in the lower floors of Wherever-in-Hell we are."
"No," I tried to correct, "I mean, where in the country?"
Finally feeling rested enough that I was confident I wouldn't start to puke if I moved, I stood back up and adressed not only the two of them, but the herd as a whole.
"I took a nap in the back of a Walmart in Texas, and woke up here. Does anyone here have a clue where we are?"
That seemed to catch everypony off guard.
Rarity was the first to speak up.
"Ohio? Kentucky? Maine? I really don't know..."
Oh...crap.
It hit me like a ton of bricks.
Nopony would know, and of course nopony did.
Every single one of us were abductees.
They'd taken us all from our homes, families, jobs...everything.
We were all lost, afraid, and didn't know how in the world we'd get back home, or even if there was a home to go back to with how we'd all been changed!
And I...just reminded...everypony of that fact.
Okay, I think I'm done talking for now...or forever.
"Alright, ponies!"
My attention snapped to Rarity, who'd donned a commanding tone of voice.
"I know you're all tired, but the fight isn't over yet, and I need you all to give everything you've got right now!"
I felt the tension in the room start to evaporate as she continued.
"I don't know what's waiting for us up those stairs, but are we going to let them put us back in cages?!"
"NO!" was her reply, and I was among those who gave it. She was just so inspiring!
She pumped a hoof in the air, then grabbed up the now-even-worse-for-wear riot shield and raised it as well!
"We fight! We fight!"
"FIGHT!" we all chanted back! The earlier solemnity was completely forgotten, and wherever Rarity would lead us, we were set to follow!
"Nothing is impossible!"
I almost lost sight of her as the herd formed up behind her.
"YEAH!"
I grinned. It felt like we really had a chance to get out of here! More than a chance! Victory was all but certain!
She led us all up the stairs, away from the oppressive cell block, and up to the door to the next leg of our escape.
"Everything is a challenge,"
She turned back to face us...
"and...WE WON'T BACK DOWN!"
...and proceeded to STRAIGHT UP BUCK THE DOOR IN!
Alright! Now that's what I'm talking about!
And on it went.
Another set of stairs, another door for Rarity to not give a care about bucking her way through, and then we were up and out into another hallway.
As we galloped along, I noticed something.
One of the unicorns, the red-coated mare from before, whom I had assumed was up in the front of the herd with Rarity, like they were last time, was right there next to me.
...and I appeared to be passing her.
Why is sh-?
"We've got incoming."
I'd barely heard it, but I recognized the voice of the pegasus who was basically serving as Rarity's 'Right-Hoof Stallion' as the adjusted phrase might go.
The herd came to a stop at a junction in the hallway, and I too heard the rapid footfalls.
-Click-
I shot my gaze back to Rarity, and I watched her throw aside the pistol she'd taken from that one guard I didn't take into account before. While I didn't know how Rarity would've handled it, I could guess that there was only one reason why any tough guy, like Tony probably was, who was running for his life to escape an enemy compound would throw away a weapon.
It was empty.
Oh, boy. So much for smooth sailing.
I swore I could almost feel myself slipping back into that freaky hyper-analytical Work Mode I'd just gotten out of when I caught sight of the figure who'd found us.
I'd seen enough NCIS with my family back home to know a military officer's uniform when I saw one!
"Stephanie Chase! CIA!"
I lit up!
That's it! That's how they always introduce themselves to everyone! I'm in the presence of an actual, honest to God, Government Agent!
Though, it seemed Rarity, or Tony, didn't share my enthusiasm.
"Show us your identification, dear. I'd rather not be taken hostage by some bullshit vigilante after what we've been through."
The officer smiled brightly at Rarity, as well as the rest of us. She confidently displayed her badge and identification.
"I'm here officially, and with Applejack."
I was stunned.
After everything I've been through, being saved by one of the Mane 6 was amazing in its own right...but two!?
This is too good to be true!
"Okay, look,"
I came back to reality to the sound of Ms. Stephanie's helpful voice.
"We need to get you guys out of here. Show of hooves. Who's cuffed?"
SHE HAD KEYS!
Okay, Ma'am, I'm officially swayed! Rarity, give her the go-ahead, would you?
"Very well."
That was easy.
"Everypony, be still and let Miss Chase here get you out of your chains."
She made short work of everypony in the herd who was still cuffed and chained to eachother.
As she went along, she gave us some more encouragement.
"Looking good, folks. Who's sharp?"
Sharp?
"I'm going to be at the front of this group, but I need someone who can watch our back."
Oh! Okay, that's definitely something I can-
"I can do it."
Wha- Rarity?!
Indeed, once she'd been freed from her chains, she massaged her hoof and then purposefully strode to the rear of the herd.
"I am a fairly recent addition to our merry band of adventurers, so I have a bit more kick left in me."
Then, with all eyes on her, something happened that, even after everything I'd seen, I still wasn't prepared for.
That scarf she was wearing...transformed into a necklace.
Not just any accessory, mind you.
What was around her neck was the one-and-only Element of Generosity!
The Elements...
The actual gems of the Elements of Harmony...are here!
On Earth!
Dad...wherever you are right now. I don't know how you'll take this, but even after this whole people turning into ponies thing, there's no way to avoid this anymore...
Magic is real now.
"I figure there is no need to keep it hidden any longer."
I smiled.
Aww, Rarity. You so clever!
"Must...not...fangirl!"
Ha! It looks like our Friendly Neighborhood Officer has good taste in favorite ponies!
Ms. Stephanie quickly regained her composure.
"Okay, ponies! You're gonna follow me. We have to pick up three more, and then we're out of here."
Three more? Assuming Applejack is one of them, that still leaves two unaccounted for. Who else could be here?!
And on that bombshell, we were on the move once again.
As I pondered the implications of there being a third or possibly even a fourth element bearer right here in the same building, I caught sight of that same red unicorn, and once again, she seemed to be going just a hair slower than the rest of us.
Okay, now I'm curious.
I matched my pace to hers and looked her over. Almost immediately, I saw a piece of black cloth tied tightly around one of her hind legs, just above the hoof. I watched her run for a moment. She was focused on keeping up with the rest of the herd, that much was obvious, but I saw that whenever that hoof came down, her brow furrowed just a little bit harder, she frowned just a little bit deeper, and picked that leg up just a little bit quicker.
I knew all too well what these tells meant.
These were the signs of Silent Suffering.
When you're in pain, but there's something else that's been forced into a higher priority.
When you know that people are watching, and you put on a brave face.
There's no time for relief, but no matter how hard you push forward, it doesn't make the pain go away.
And you want nothing more than for the pain to just go away!
But it doesn't.
And it doesn't feel like there's any point in even mentioning it, as there's no way of knowing who among those around you can be trusted not to judge you.
To believe you and to not disregard you.
They're all strangers, so you have to keep going.
Don't lose focus.
Don't succumb.
And above all else...
Don't. Complain.
She turned toward me, and her eyes met mine.
Because nobody likes a complainer.
In that moment, I knew I was right.
I didn't need to know the why or how, though I could probably guess.
So I made a decision.
I knew she wouldn't object, I'd seen it all in her eyes.
I sped up veered to my left, and before I collided with her, I ducked my head and neck down so they went underneath her.
There were no words. None were necessary.
I raised my head back up into place and took advantage of the last aspect of being a pony I'd ever thought would come in handy since this happened to me.
That of simply being a beast of burden.
??:??
Eventually we did meet up with the rest of Ms. Stephanie's party, and it turned out I was right about one thing regarding them. Applejack wasn't the only element bearer there. There was one more with them: Fluttershy.
Half of the Mane 6, a Government Agent, and apparently a doctor of some kind were all there with us, working to help us all get out of there alive and unharmed. I admit I felt a little insignificant among all these heroes. I was just an unlucky Cashier from Santa Fe, Texas, just along for the ride.
And in the end...
...we made it.
I'm afraid I didn't contribute much else to the workings of the actual escape. The others would probably be able to give a much better account of everything that went down between when we all met back up to the eventual rescue by those government helicopters. All that mattered to me in that final moment was one thing.
We were free.
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<@Raritony> Danny writes like a freakin' champ.
I said this not even ten minutes ago while I was talking to the IRC group about this kick-ass chapter. There's nothing more to be said, other than you have a knack for writing compelling paragraphs and amazing literature 'effects' to pull one's imagination into over drive.
5166285 You...you really like it?
That's so...
AWESOME!
I mean...I wasn't sure...
You really think it's good?
sorry about this but Blue+song+discord+uncannyvalley=
5783197 Nice!
This chapter was absolutely
ing epic. There's nothing else to say.
5883265 Bingo! That's it!
6879243 Well, you certainly picked a good time to hop on! I just resumed progress on my next chapter.
It's gonna be a multi-parter.
Oh my dear lord, my God who art in heaven, forgive me. I've forgotten how amazing this story was and, now having reread it, retain my (3 year) earlier statement that this is one of my favorite stories ever. Give me the strength to hold out while you give the writer the strength to finish the chapter even after three years. In Jesus name we pray, amen.
In other words, great story, please keep writing